Klobuchar takes aim at Warren, Buttigieg and Biden as she files for NH primary

CONCORD, N.H. – Sen. Amy Klobuchar prides herself on being “Minnesota nice,” but the Democratic presidential candidate’s sharp elbows and wry wit were fully on display on Wednesday as she filed to place her name on the first-in-the-nation presidential primary ballot.

Klobuchar, who seen a boost in energy and fundraising in recent weeks following a well-received performance in October’s Democratic presidential nomination debate, took a jab at South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg -- another more moderate rival who has also soared thanks to his debate performance.

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Differentiating herself from the 37-year-old Buttigieg, who's ahead of her in the polls, Klobuchar told Fox News that she’s prevailed in difficult contests again and again. "He hasn’t done that, if you’re talking about the mayor, and I have. And I think those kind of experiences are really important if you’re putting someone forward to lead a ticket.”

Klobuchar’s considered one of the more centrist or moderate contenders in the large field of Democratic White House hopefuls. But she takes issue with that description, and once again touted herself as a “proven progressive"

“Compared to some of the candidates on the stage, I just have vast experience in getting things done,” she emphasized. “I have passed over 100 bills where I am the lead Democrat, significantly more than the other people who are on that stage that are still in the U.S. Senate.”

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Klobuchar took aim at Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a front-runners in the nomination race along with former Vice President Joe Biden.

Continuing her very vocal opposition to the government-run "Medicare-for-all" health care system proposed by both Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont – another top-tier contender – Klobuchar highlighted in an interview that “'Medicare-for-all' is a worthy idea and my issue is with how that bill works and the fact that you would kick 149 million people off their insurance in just four years -- and I don’t agree with it. And her name is on that bill.”

Klobuchar also took a shot at Biden, who in a recent Medium post described Warren’s approach to Medicare-for-all as “elitist.”

“I wouldn’t use that word,” Klobuchar said.

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado also criticized "Medicare-for-all." Minutes after he filed at the Secretary of State’s office on Tuesday afternoon, he told Fox News, “I think that’s a big mistake.”

Bennet – like Klobuchar – supports strengthening the current health care system by adding a public Medicare-type option to the Affordable Care Act.

Pointing to "Medicare-for-all" – which is strongly supported by the Democratic Party’s progressive base – the centrist senator said “it’s a lurch to a set of policies that are good for raising money on the internet, I guess, but are never going to happen. And I don’t want to spent the next 10 years spending a losing battle for 'Medicare-for-all.'”

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